Michelle McKeown: An island in the Pacific built from ancient waste

At first glance, this small island in Fiji looks like many others in the South Pacific. But beneath the surface, it tells a very different story

A tropical beaches on the island of Vanua Levu island  in  Fiji in the South Pacific Ocean. Picture: iStock

Just off the coast of northern Vanua Levu in Fiji lies a small, unassuming island surrounded by mangroves. At first glance, it looks like many others in the Pacific. But beneath the surface, it tells a very different story. This island is not formed from sand or rock. It is built largely from discarded shells. The remains of countless meals consumed over a thousand years ago. Our recent study led by Professor Patrick Nunn (University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia) and published in the journal Geoarchaeology, investigated this unusual feature and asks a deceptively simple question, is this island natural, or was it created by people?

What is a midden?